


I Lost A Bet

by Ironfamforever



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic), The Masked Singer - Fandom
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Hangover, Singer Hades, Singing, The Masked Singer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ironfamforever/pseuds/Ironfamforever
Summary: Hades made the mistake of making a bet with his brothers while drunk, and now he's suffering the consequences. Masked Singer AUHades gets his groove on and everyone is ~shook~
Relationships: Hades/Minthe (Lore Olympus), Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 78





	1. Singing in the Shower

**Author's Note:**

> Hades in an insecure dork (but also a natural rockstar)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades gets ready for a night out with his brothers after breaking up with Minthe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be more enjoyable if you actually listen to the song! It is Natural by Imagine Dragons. I don't own Lore Olympus, the characters, or the music in this fic.

`Hades did not have the patience to deal with this today. For Cronus' sake, he had literally gone out with Zeus last week. How on Earth could he need to have another "family meeting" already? If anything, he needed a Hades night?! He had just broken it off with the girl he had been on and off with for years; there's no possible way Zeus' needed more "brotherly support" over his most recent fling then Hades did. His day had left him wanting to drive his car into a tree (not there were many in the Underworld), and he just wanted some alone time to sort out his emotions. Honestly, he couldn't tell if the break with Minthe left him heartbroken, furious, or relieved (he was pretty sure it was a little bit of everything which was a bit overwhelming for a guy with the emotional intelligence of a rock). At this point, he was almost considering calling them up and canceling, but he knew Zeus would just drag him out regardless. To Hades, the ideal night consisted of fine cigars, some whiskey, and a crappy rom-com (sue him, he's a hopeless romantic). He would rather be cuddled up with his dogs (and preferably a curvy pink goddess) then out socializing. Instead, he was being dragged out to some bar (strip club) with his obnoxious brothers. At least alcohol was involved; he was positive he would be drinking far more than usual tonight.

With a huff, Hades finally parked in his driveway. Traffic had been terrible, only worsening his foul mood, and he squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to battle an oncoming migraine. He strode up to his door in the familiar dark chill of the Underworld and threw it open to greet his babies. He might as well start off the night in a decent mood, and nothing put his head in the right space like his pooches. Crouching down to scratch them in greeting, he was practically tackled by Cerberus. Who knew ending up under a pile of slobbering dogs was precisely what he needed. Hades let out a deep sigh, just releasing all the pent up stress and emotion from the day. He raked his hand through his usually sculpted white hair, mussing it up a bit into its more natural loose waves. Extracting himself from the dog-pile with difficulty, he rose to his feet and headed to his room to shower. 

Throwing his suit jacket on the nearby desk chair, he finally let himself relax. The usual stiff posture eased from his tense shoulders, and he fell onto his bed with a huff. He pulled out his phone and flicked to Musify. Tonight he was going to indulge in his rock; he didn't care how "immature" it was, according to Minthe. To hell with that, he didn't owe her anything (although he was itching to roll up to her house with a diamond necklace and an apology on his lips; what can he say, old habits die hard). Gah, he had to stay so calm and collected at work, and, trust him, he was anything but on the inside. Singing (screaming) in the shower was the perfect release for all the anger and sadness from a day that was truly shit. 

As usual, his dogs were his only audience. He wasn't going to be caught dead singing in front of anyone else (he had heard Minthe bitch enough about the quality of his voice the few times she had heard him). He turned on the water, connected his phone to the speaker, and clicked on his favorite playlist featuring Fall Down Boy, All-Democratic Rejects, Wink-182, Panic at the Party, and similar bands.  _ Gods, I'm such an emo teen,  _ he thought to himself with a chuckle. Still, he couldn't deny the familiar base practically shaking the room comforted him. As he stepped under the spray, he began mumbling the lyrics of the songs he knew by heart, getting more confident as it played. When it got to the chorus, he couldn't help but belt out,

_ "That's the price you pay _

_ Leave behind your heartache, cast away _

_ Just another product of today _

_ Rather be the hunter than the prey _

_ And you're standing on the edge, face-up _

_ 'cause you're a Natural _

_ A beating heart of stone _

_ You gotta be so cold _

_ To make it in this world _

_ Yeah, you're a natural _

_ Living your life cutthroat _

_ You gotta be so cold _

_ Yeah, you're a natural." _

Though he would never admit it, he definitely grabbed the shampoo bottle and sang into it like a microphone as he danced around the extravagant black tile shower. Though he acted like a total prude at most parties to keep up the appearance of a professional (and kind of depressing) businessman and king, secretly, he was quite proud of the fact he could keep up with most beats and often itched to join his immature brothers twirling their wives around the dance floor (to this day, learning to moonwalk was one his top achievements in the last decade- it was really hard okay). It's not like anyone other than the dogs, and maybe Hecate, when he was absolutely pounded, actually saw him. At the end of the song, a small grin remained on his face as he stepped out and toweled off. It had been way too long since he had jammed out (and probably burst his neighbor's eardrums). He glanced in the mirror and was greeted with a messy spiky mess of hair that left him looking ten years younger, and if he was honest, he preferred it this way. He gave himself a cheeky wink and laughed, almost considering wearing it to the bar as a final "fuck it." Unfortunately, a glance at his phone told him he had under 45 minutes to get there, and, as fucked up as it was, masks of all kinds were necessary for anyone in the spotlight. He would only leave his house looking perfect; armor of a different kind was required in the battle for public respect. Anything less and the paparazzi would be on him like a pack of wolves. He can see the headlines now, "Hades is Falling Apart: Will Minthe Give Him Another Chance."  _ Yeah right, _ he scoffed, half of his brain telling him he didn't need her and the other whispering she'd never take him back. Besides, his appearance had to reflect his station as CEO and king, so gelled hair and sharp suits it was (as much as he loved his vintage band tees). 

He pulled on a simple black dress shirt, still singing under his breath, styled his hair, and paused his music. Giving himself a last once-over in the mirror as he walked out, he grabbed his keys, wallet, and phone, and headed to his car. Though his brother had no qualms in being 40 minutes late to his brunches, Hades knew better than to be tardy to one of the "King of God's" gatherings. (Even though he was technically older, his brother could throw one hell of a righteous-anger filled tantrum, and Hades did not want to deal with that tonight).


	2. Carpool Karaoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades has a jam session in the car on the way to the bar and lets his hair down (literally). His brothers and a few others notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Lore Olympus or any of the characters from this Webtoon. Comment what bet you think Hades should lose with his brothers at the bottom!

One of Hades’ favorite parts of hanging out with his brothers was the drive there (how depressing is that). It’s not that he didn’t like hanging out with them, but nothing beat the feeling of driving over the empty highway from the Underworld to Olympus ( _shockingly_ most Olympians don’t visit by choice). Surrounded by the barren endless fields of Asphodel, he could go one hundred miles per hour, and no one would blink an eye (not that they would stop the King of the Underworld). Most days he had enough restraint to go just five above the speed limit, but, damn it, he needed this! Hey, if tonight was going to be all about Zeus (when was it not), at least he could unleash some frustration. He rolled down the windows, shook his car with the thundering bass, and floored it. If Hades had immortality, he might as well use it for something other then 2,000 years’ worth of trauma and being a millennium too old for the first woman he’d had chemistry with. The only thing getting damaged if he crashed was his car (he had way too many anyway) and his pride. As he reached the acceleration lane, he switched to his driving playlist and blasted GO GO by Matt and Kim. He whooped to the endless field filled with empty souls as he raced along the road. As the drums pounded and the wind blew through his hair, he couldn’t help but yell along with the lyrics,

  
  
“ _We sing like mean it._  
 _Just loud, without the sheen yeah_  
 _Took a look around this old town feeling bittersweet_  
 _Buy another round. There’re some new lines down on Grand Street._  
 _My friends, we sing the same song_  
 _And it’s not for everyone_  
 _On my handlebars, watch out for bumps up in the road._  
 _You closed your eyes told me, speed up, come on let’s_  


  
He didn’t care how good Zeus said hooking up with mortals felt; nothing could beat this feeling. Just him and the music, doing whatever he wanted with no one around to judge him. A wide grin spread across his face, one the press and even his family rarely got to see, as the adrenaline rushed through his veins, and Hades hit 120 still singing into the darkness of the underworld. He’d have to take Big John out on a ride again soon; he loved the car but, it was such a pain to get his hair out of the seats. Too soon, the road started to grow brighter, and he slowed to a reasonable pace as he entered Olympus’s busy highways. Rolling up his windows and lowering the music, he could not keep the smile off his face. A carefree laugh bubbled up as he glanced in the rearview mirror and realized the wind had returned his hair to the natural loose waves, and his eyes gleamed a sapphire red. Well, there was nothing he could do now but put on a pair of shades and hope no one recognized him (there was no chance; how many other blue gods hung out with the Big Three). He schooled his expression and parked next to the club, smiling to himself as he remembered the last time he had been here. He prayed to whoever was listening that Poseidon hadn’t managed to break the mermaid tank again already.

  
  
Hades stepped out of the car and into the entrance of the club, giving a guilty smile to the hostess who had kicked them out last time.

  
  
“The first table on the right,” she said with a small grin. Huh, the smile was new, though Hades could confidently say he preferred it to the terrified stuttering that usually happed when he talked with a nymph.  


  
“Thanks a lot,” he said, returning her grin with a charming smile of his own. He was still high on that feeling of invincibility that only a joy-ride could produce, but his good mood started to slip away as he saw Zeus staring moodily at him from across the room. Hades glanced at his watch to see he was five minutes late; there’s no way his brother could be that mad. He sighed as Poseidon waved him over with his usual enthusiasm.

  
  
“Why the long face brother,” Hades chuckled as he sat down next to Zeus, who was making an incredible impression of a grumpy toddler. He aggressively stirred his drink and scowled into it as he took a long sip.  


  
“He’s just salty that nymph paid more attention to you than him. Love what you’ve done with your look by the way; were you going for hungover rockstar cause’ if so, you nailed it” Posiedian smirked. Zeus spluttered indignantly about “having a wife” and “just being upset that hades didn’t show up on time,” but, obviously, that was bullshit. Hades’s entire face turned a deep blue as he glanced over at the host who winked at him with a light blush. Hades whipped around, now practically navy. He sunk low in his chair, anxiously running his hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it and straightening out his shirt. Still blushing up to his ears, he mumbled something about her, “just being nice” and “wanting a large tip.” (which he would obviously give because he was a gentleman.)  


  
Poseidon’s shoulders shook with laughter as he pounded on the table, trying to get his breath back from cackling at his two clearly mortified brothers. Hades and Zeus just tossed back the first of many drinks for the night, blushing furiously, as Poseidon guffawed at them and ordered a round of shots.

  
  
“But seriously, bro,” Posidon said once he could actually breathe again, “You look good. I haven’t seen you looking this laid back in years.” The _before you started dating Minthe_ , went unsaid, but everyone at the table heard it loud and clear.


	3. Bars and Bets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades gets plastered, and both Persephone and Hecate receive late night calls.

A few hours and a quickly growing tab later, Hades sat with his arms flung over the shoulders of his brothers, laughing hysterically at absolutely nothing. His pile of empty glasses was significantly larger than either of his brothers, and Zeus and Poseidon shared a quick look over their drinks and grinned. It wasn’t often that they got to see their brother with his hair down, and it was always a treat to see him with at least a few of his walls down. Zeus hadn’t heard him laugh in what felt like eons. 

“Well, I think our mission is a success,” Poseidon whispered to Zeus with a chuckle. They looked over as Hades began animatedly telling stories about his dogs. He gestured so vigorously that it almost caused the pyramid of bottles on the table to tumble onto the floor. 

“Well, he definitely isn’t moping over Minthe,” replied Zeus laughing. They high fived as a very drunk Hades called the host over and began telling her about his new dog and clumsily showing her photos on his phone. “He’s usually so moody when we go out; who knew he would be a fun drunk after a breakup?”

“Hey, I’m not complaining; when was the last time you saw him having fun?” Poseidon answered. “I kind of feel bad for the host; I think a billion picture of dogs was not what she was expecting when Hades said he wanted to show her something.” Poseidon snorted as the host tried, once again, to flirt with the oblivious Hades and, instead, received another story about Cerberus. 

“Should we save her?” Zeus chortled, “He can go on for hours about his babies.” 

“Hey, Aidon!” Poseidon called across the room. “Come over here; I have a question for you.” Hades made his way over, only swaying a bit, leaving behind a very disappointed nymph. 

“What’s up bro,” he said with a grin as he slid into the booth. It was a minor miracle he could still sit upright, but if anyone could handle alcohol, it was Hades (he had way too much practice).   
“I have a proposition for you,” Poseidon responded with a sly grin. 

“I’m listening,” Hades responded, raising an eyebrow and flashing a contagious smile. Poseidon couldn’t help but laugh as he leaned in conspiratorially and said,  
“If you call Persephone right now and tell her how you feel about her, Zeus will fire Thetis and delete her number, but if you don’t, you have to call Hecate and do the first thing she tells you to.”

“What?!” Zeus shouted indignantly as Hades choked on his drink. His feelings for Kore were no secret among the brothers, but, for Aphrodite’s sake, he had literally just ended it with Minthe! There was also the whole eternal maiden thing that had to be considered. 

“Aw shut up,” Poseidon responded to Zeus with a glare. “We all know she wants to fuck you; we’ll just stop you from breaking Hera’s heart again as long as Aidon follows through.”  
Zeus deflated grumbling about Thetis, “just being really helpful,” while Hades softened at the mention of Hera. They had always been… close, and he would never purposely hurt her. He bit his lip as he considered the options; his brain, clouded by the alcohol, swirled with images with the little pink goddess. 

“Fine,” he grumbled, shoulders slumping in defeat. He pulled out his phone, staring at it anxiously. 

“One-second tiger, how do we know you’ll hold up on your side of the deal if you chicken out,” Zeus smirked, still salty that his brother had offered up the sea nymph. Poseidon glared at him about to say something when Hades cut him off,

“I swear on the river Styx that I will call Persephone and admit my feelings or do the first thing Hecate suggests,” he said without a second thought. If he wasn’t on his 13th beer, there’s no way he would’ve done that. Zeus spat his drink across the table and coughed as he choked, and Poseidon nearly fell out of his chair. 

“What the hell?!” screeched Zeus, “Why the fuck did you do that?!” It was common knowledge that, no matter how immortal or important you were, if you broke a deal on the river Styx, you were done. 

“Well, now you know I won’t cheat,” Hades responded with a giggle, too drunk to realize what he just did. Poseidon just held his head in his hands, resigned to the fact that he would have to tell Hades about this tomorrow. Dear gods, he was going to be pissed; Poseidon just hoped he had the guts to tell Persephone how he felt. At least it was Hecate and not some random assistant who got to choose what he would do, or this dumb bet honestly could’ve ended him. 

Hades pulled up Persephone’s contact on his phone, smiling drunkenly at her contact picture. Before he knew it, it was up against his ear ringing. Oh shit. He had no idea what he was going to say. What was he thinking? Why was he calling her? Oh my gods, please don’t pick up; he prayed to no one in particular as he panicked. 

“Hades? It’s three in the morning, are you okay?” a sweet sleep-rumpled voice answered with a yawn. Holy Hypnos, he had woken her up. Without a second thought, he threw his phone across the room into the wall. The three brothers just sat in silence for a moment staring at the shattered phone on the floor until Zeus exploded at him.

“Why in Ares name did you do that?!” he shouted with his hands in his hair.

“I woke her up!!! I don’t know what I was thinking, calling her at 3 AM, of course, she was asleep. Oh my gods, how am I going to look at her on Monday?! That literally broke one of the like four rules she set for us,” Hades panicked as he flew from his seat, almost falling on his face in the process. He paced around the booth, anxiously running his hand through his hair, and muttered to himself.

“Well shit,” Poseidon responded, “I guess we have to call Hecate. Luckily for you, I have her number because you absolutely destroyed your phone.” Hades fell into his seat, groaning into his hands. His brothers could only see his ears, but, based on their dark hue, he was blushing furiously. 

Meanwhile, in the underworld, Hecate was not pleased that her Friday night binge session was being interrupted by a call from one of the Big Three. However, as Poseidon explained the situation, a wicked grin crossed her face, and she glanced at the television. Serves him right for getting plastered with his brothers and interrupting me, she thought to herself as she asked Poseidon to pass the phone to Hades to tell him her request.


	4. Hangovers and Hecate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades deals with a hangover while his brothers fill in some gaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Lore Olympus, The Masked Singer, or any of the characters.

“Ugghhhhhhh,” Hades groaned as he threw his hand over his eyes. He was pretty sure he had the worst headache known to god kind. The terrible new country song written by Ass-pollo himself blaring through the room did not help in the least.

Sheesh, Hades thought to himself, how the hell did he become the god of music? If I hear him moan about the golden hills of Olympus one more time, I might break the radio. He threw his hand to the side to find his damn alarm clock and stop this unique brand of torture, but all he felt was air. What the hell? He opened his eyes experimentally, hissing as the fluorescent lighting of his living room blinded him. Damnit, how much did I drink last night? I was supposed to be cutting back, he scolded himself. The last thing he remembered was being at the club and ordering another round for his brothers. How did he end up on his couch with this god awful music pounding into his skull?

As if he had heard Hades’ thoughts, Poseidon bounded into the room wearing a pink apron and looking way too cheerful for a Saturday morning hangover. “Good morning, Aidon!” he practically shouted, making Hades’ wince and throw his hands over his ears.

“Keep it down, will ya,” Hades hissed, “and turn off that banshee screeching before I go deaf.” His whole body ached, and his head pounded as he grit his teeth, trying to ease the pain.

“Aw, does poor wittle Hades have a hangover,” Zeus taunted from his perch on a nearby stool, fresh coffee in hand.

“Don’t act like you weren’t hunched over the toilet puking your guts out an hour ago,” Poseidon laughed, causing Zeus to glare at him over the counter. Hades, too busy fighting a migraine, just groaned at them to shut up and get him coffee. He shuffled over to the nearest barstool and sat with his head in his arms, trying to block out the light and his brother’s conversation. A clink in front of him told him his coffee had arrived, and he took a greedy sip that he regretted instantly as nausea swirled in his stomach. Poseidon just chuckled at his brothers moaning and slid a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him with two pain killers.

“Thanks,” Hades muttered as he took another swig and popped the pills. His head cleared immediately, and he sighed in relief; these pills were one of the only things Apollo was good for.

“Well, now that you’ve joined us in the land of the living, Poseidon has something to tell you,” Zeus told him with a poorly concealed laugh. Poseidon whipped around from the griddle, spatula in hand,

“What?!” he said with a glare directed at Zeus, “I thought you said we’d do it together.”

“Do what? Poseidon, what is he talking about?” Hades butted in visibly confused and more than a little anxious. _What the fuck happened last night_ , he thought to himself, _I don’t remember anything past the seventh drink. Oh my gods, please don’t say I did anything embarrassing; Hecate will kill me if the stocks drop because of another tabloid headline_. Zeus and Poseidon shared a glance.

“So you don’t remember last night at all?” Zeus asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Well, I have no idea how I go here,” Hades muttered uncomfortably, blushing. “

You weren’t the only one who was wasted,” Poseidon said, “Zeus and I could barely stand straight; we called for a ride on Chariot, and somehow dragged you in here and crashed.” Hades reached for his phone to check the time, but his hand came up empty.

“Where’s my phone?” he asked, panicked. Dear Hermes, Hecate was going to destroy him if he lost it.

“Well, that’s the thing…” Poseidon replied nervously, scratching the back of his head, “You may have made a few…. outgoing calls.” Hade’s stomach dropped to his feet. No matter which way this went, it was going to end poorly.

“Please don’t tell me I called Minthe,” he practically begged, “Holy Dionysus, why do I keep going out with you two?”

“Hey, it’s not our fault you can’t hold your liquor,” Zeus responded indignantly, “and no, you didn’t call Minthe.” Hades let out a deep sigh of relief. “ButyoumayhavecalledthegoddessofSpring?” Zeus finished in a rush.

“What?!” Hades roared, leaping to his feet and patting his pockets furiously in search of the offending device, “What did I say?! Please tell me, you know.”

“Woah Woah Woah bro, chill out,” Poseidon responded, putting his hands on Hades’ shoulders and guiding him back to his seat, “You didn’t say anything. You just rang her and then threw your phone across the room when she answered.” Hades slowly sunk into his chair defeated, could he blame it on a butt dial? Oh gosh, he broke one of the rules! At least he didn’t say anything humiliating. Why had he called her in the first place? I mean sure she was practically always on his mind, but he usually had better impulse control, even when drunk. He voiced his question, and the brothers shuffled awkwardly. Hades’ eyes narrowed,

“... what did you guys do?” he asked, unsure if he even wanted an answer.

“... well… wemayhavemadeabetthatyoucould n’tcallPersephoneandadmityourfeelings,” Poseidon word vomited, leaving Hades’ head reeling.

“You did what?!” He yelled.

“Hey, don’t get mad at us, you guys totally want to get in each other’s pants plus you didn’t even say anything,” Zeus responded defensively, “We were just trying to help a brother out.”

“Wait… you said it was a bet,” Hades said, brow furrowing, “What did I lose?”

“Well, we’re not exactly sure…” Poseidon answered with a grimace. “How the hell do you not know; you literally made the bet!” Hades shouted frazzled.

“Our bet was that Hecate could choose what you had to do, and she’s being stingy with the details,” Zeus pouted. Dear lord, Hecate was going to kill him; he just prayed she was merciful with his punishment (who was he kidding; she was going to enjoy torturing him).

“Can I borrow your phone?” he asked Poseidon defeatedly. If he was going to be humiliating himself, he might as well get it over with. Poseidon handed his Pomegranate X over the counter.

“Before you call,” Poseidon said with a grimace, “you should know you swore on the River Styx to do whatever she told you.”

“Of course I did,” Hades replied, putting his head down on the table. He didn’t even have the energy to berate himself. He just sighed deeply, squeezed his eyes shut, and clicked the call button.

“Hecate speaking,” purred a voice from the speaker after a couple of rings. _Oh Gods no, she sounds smug_ , Hades panicked to himself.

“Alright, out with it, what are you forcing me to do,” he sighed, shoulders slumping.

“Aw, someone sounds grumpy, maybe they should have thought first before getting wasted with his idiot brothers and _calling me at 3 AM_ ,” she crooned, reveling in the groan that came from the other line.

“You’re not going to make this easy for me, will you,” he replied. “

Not a chance,” she said, grinning from ear to ear, “Now I know you think television is a waste of time, but have you ever heard of _The Masked Singer_?”


	5. Here Goes Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate and Hades talk about his punishment, and he begins preparing for his public humiliation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Lore Olympus or the Masked Singer. Song suggestions for this fic are welcome in the comments!

Hades sighed deeply; he seemed to be doing that a lot these days. Hecate grinned malevolently from her perch on his couch as he tidied up the dishes from that morning's brunch.  
"Are you sure there's no way out of this?" he asked exasperatedly even though he knew the answer. 

"Nope, you swore to do the FIRST thing I suggested, I couldn't change this if I wanted, which I most definitely do not," she smirked, "Next time you go drinking, think before you pick up the phone old friend." Hades groaned into his hands as she continued, "I am going to have so much fun watching you make a fool of yourself on live television. You didn't tell your brothers, right?"

"No," he sighed, "That would kind of defeat the point of singing with a mask on, wouldn't it."

"Don't get snarky with me, mister," she grinned, "you dug your own grave here." He hadn't seen Hecate this excited in eons, too bad he was the butt of the joke. Hades rolled his eyes and flopped exaggeratedly on to the couch. 

"So let me get this straight," he said, "I'm participating in a reality singing competition…. in a ridiculous costume and mask… on television… and the judges, who are people I WORK with, by the way, are going to try to guess my identity."

"Yup!" she responded, sounding way too chipper. She could've chosen literally anything, from his limitless fortune to his title and CEO of the company, but instead, she decided to humiliate him on television for all of Olympus to see. He should probably feel relieved, but honestly, he was just filled with dread. 

"Hecate, you are truly a cruel mistress," he groaned, "You know that I'm tone-deaf."

"No," she responded, "I know you say you're tone-deaf, but the few times I've heard you sing a drunken ditty, you weren't half bad." Hades blushed furiously as Hecate cackled at his deer-in-headlights expression. He really needed to get this whole drinking thing under control; he definitely did not remember singing for Hecate in the last century. "Besides, you should have thought of that before swearing on the River Styx while blackout drunk," she continued.

"Well, I thought you would ask for a raise, not for me to publicly humiliate myself?!" Hades replied, flustered. 

"Well, it's too bad; you should have been more specific," she snarked. "Besides, I've always wanted to see you in leather." Hades groaned into the cushion,

"Finnnneeeeee, but I get to choose the song," he grumbled.

"Awww, but I wanted you to serenade the judges with some classic Ass-pollo singles," Hecate said between giggles. Hades mimed gagging at the very thought.

"I'd rather burn for eternity in Styx then even utter the lyrics to one of his songs," he deadpanned.

"You mean I'm never going to have the pleasure of hearing "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" live? What a terrible shame," she responded, struggling to keep a straight face. They just stared at each other for a second before breaking out into laughter. He may have to disgrace himself in front of every immortal being in existence, but maybe it will blow over in a couple of centuries (who was he kidding, he was never going to live this down). 

"So," she asked, sobering up, "what are you planning on singing or, more importantly, wearing?" She leaned forward inquisitively, searching his face for any hints. 

"That's for me to know, and you to find out after the first round," he responded with a smirk. If he was forced to do this, he was going to at least have a little fun with it.

"Aw no fair," she pouted, "I should have been more specific with my request; I could've watched you perform country music dressed as a mermaid." 

"Alright, you got to see me flustered and embarrassed," he responded, laughing, "now shoo I need to call the host and see if they'll let me into the competition next month. Technically you're supposed to apply a year before, but I think they'll make an exception for the King of the Underworld. I can't believe this is actually happening; it still feels like a fever dream."

"I'm going, I'm going," she responded, getting up and grabbing her purse. Just before she left, she grinned and said, "there better be leather involved, or I'll riot." With a final wink, she slipped out the door into the crisp underworld air. 

Hades could not believe he was actually doing this. He pulled out with his phone with a grimace and dialed the number on the website. The producer could not be more excited; they literally squealed when they heard his voice. After getting the basics of the show explained, they set up a meeting for him to get measured tomorrow. The costume designer was not happy that they had under a week, but after hearing their client was the actual god of wealth, they quickly agreed. They asked him what costume design he wanted, and he grinned to himself, knowing exactly what he was going to wear. It might be a little obvious, but he wasn't expecting to make it past the first round anyway. If he was going to mortify himself on stage, he might as well do it in style. 

Now he just had to choose a song. It was going to be from his favorite playlist, he didn't have time to learn a new song. However, he also had to consider the fact that it would be circulating the internet for the next millennia. Oh gods, he can see the Gifs now, but, on the bright side, maybe making a fool of himself will make him more approachable. His therapist would be so proud of him for being optimistic. As he scrolled through his playlist, he grinned as he landed on the perfect song for his debut. Minthe was going to be so pissed at him. This song had always reminded him of her in the best and worst of ways.


	6. Getting Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting prepared to get on stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own any of the characters! Sorry for the hiatus, my laptop broke :)

Hades didn’t think he had been this nervous since the launch of his company … which was literally almost as old as he was (wow, he really needed to take more risks; that was just sad). Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he was going to faint from nerves or dehydration due to being in this leather and fur monstrosity. You’d think he’d get used to it after practicing his act at least 5 times on stage (and probably every single night since he made the bet), but it still felt like a sauna, and he wasn’t even wearing the mask yet.

After the call with the producer of the Masked Singer, the last month had been a whirlwind of preparation. He had to help design his costume, learn his song, and choreograph a dance on top of working every single day (and avoiding Minthe by any means possible). At least he was distracted, he hadn’t had time to even think about the break-up, let alone have second thoughts (so, in a way, this was exactly what he needed, not that he would ever tell Hecate that). 

Somehow, he’d been able to deflect all of his brother’s questions about the infamous bet, but it was exhausting doing this all in secret. The producers took it all so seriously it was almost funny. The security team around the building was probably bigger than the one that Zeus hired, and he was literally the most important person in Olympus. When they said they wanted to meet him, he was not expecting to be given directions to a random warehouse, and picked up in a minivan that he’d only ever seen a soccer mom drive so his car would be recognized. Did people really care that much?! 

At first he was looking forward to seeing who else had been dragged into this; maybe see a familiar b-grade celebrity he had met at one of Zeus’ parties, but he soon realized this was never going to happen. Even after a month, he hadn't seen a single other performer! How in Zeus’ name did they even do that; he felt like he was coming in here every other day.

Well, all of that had been leading up to this moment. He tugged anxiously at the leather gloves on his hands and straightened the frankly ridiculous black fur cape that was draped across his shoulders. A technician hurried up to him to help him fasten the microphone before Hades put his mask on. He was so sweaty, it was a miracle in itself that the mic-tape even stuck. He gave a tight lipped smile to the crew member, nerves clearly written across his face. 

The first week or so, all of the nymphs had been terrified to even go near him. What could he say, he had a reputation and the constant scowl on his face really didn’t help. Honestly the looks on their faces when they realized he was a competitor not some special judge was hilarious (it was even funnier when they realized they would have to help dress him). Though they originally were practically tip-toeing around him; nothing sparked comradery like trying to help someone into leather pants.

By the second week, he knew all of their names, hobbies, dreams,and practically their life stories, but he still couldn’t wheedle a word about the competition out of any of them. He was going to miss them after this performance; he almost hoped he wouldn’t get out (unfortunately, it was not up to him). The nymphs tried to tell him they thought his voice was incredible, but he was pretty sure they just wanted tips (I mean he WAS the god of wealth and they were broke university students, so he couldn’t blame them). 

“You’re going to do incredible Hades!” Melody, the bubbly golden nymph helping him suit up, gushed. “ I can’t wait for the moment you open your mouth and the judges jaws drop to the floor,” she said, smiling brightly. 

“You don’t need to flatter me Mel; you already know I’m going to pay off your student debt,” Hades laughed as she turned a deep golden and spluttered indignantly.

“C’mon Hades, stop laughing, I’m serious!!! You're going to blow them off their feet; I’m honestly shocked you're not the god of music,” she replied, still blushing furiously as she attached the black fur tail to one of the black and silver belts around his waist. 

“Knock it off, my egos already big enough,” Hades said, turning a deep blue at her words. He knew she was just sucking up, but it still helped him settle his nerves a little. “I just need to do good enough that my brothers won’t have THAT much blackmail ; it will be over before I know it,” Hades thought to himself as he smoothed back his hair.

“Pssh, if your ego was any smaller, you’d need a microscope to see it,” she teased back with a giggle. “Honestly Hades, you're way too humble; you’ve got real talent. I wouldn’t be surprised if you win this thing.” she said with a wink, straightening the collar of his leather jacket, “Poppy and I are your biggest fans.”

“I hope I’m still invited to the wedding after I bomb this performance,” Hades replied, grinning.

“You better show up mister; we need someone to sing at the after party,” Melody answered in a faux-stern tone, “Now, I just have to fasten the mask and you're all set.”

Hades gulped as she placed the wolf mask over his head with a flourish. Holy Hera, he couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

“Go get ‘em tiger, or should I say wolf,” she said with a wink and a cheeky grin, “Can’t wait to help you get ready next week.”

“Maybe you’ll see me in the crowd,” Hades replied, with a chuckle as he strode out of the dressing room.


	7. Competitors and Costumes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any Lore Olympus characters or the Masked Singer! Enjoy :) Comment what song you think he's going to sing!

Taking a deep breath, Hades walked into the waiting room and, for the first time since this entire ordeal began, was faced with his competitors. They were all suited up in extravagant costumes, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated. They ranged from goofy and colorful to beautiful and elegant, but the designer's hard work was evident. They were forbidden to talk with one another because the voice modulators were only applied when they were filming. Still, Hades had watched a couple of episodes over the last month to get a grasp on what he was getting himself into. The first episode was 1 vs. 1, so he knew he could be competing against any of the immortals in the room. He strode over to the person on the far end, trying to portray the confidence he didn't feel. He settled into a folding chair, careful to move his cape so it wouldn't be wrinkled. He wished he could just get it over with, but he didn't control the order, and it was too late now to switch. Hades' stomach tied itself in a knot as he chewed his lip anxiously, and looked right, studying the other contestants. 

Closest to the door, a man leaned against the wall, ignoring the bustling crew rushing around him. To someone younger and less experienced, his nonchalant pose screamed relaxation; however, years of board meetings had taught Hades a thing or two about body language. He could see how tensely his arms were folded against his chest, almost defensively, and, though he tried to hide it, he was clearly nervous. "Probably not a professional performer, but someone accustomed to the spotlight," Hades thought to himself as he studied the man. He was average height with a slightly lean body shown off by a well-fitted red velvet tailcoat. Underneath, he wore a crisp white dress shirt and black dress pants paired with a bow tie and a chain of a pocket watch. His mask was made of a dark metal but had incredible detail carved into its snout and ears. It was clearly a warthog with shining white tusks that gleamed in the stage light. As if he sensed Hades' gaze, he turned, and their eyes met for a split second before he looked back down at the cane with a golden head that he was wringing in his white-gloved hands. 

Hades' eyes continued to wander and found their way to the woman pacing to the warthogs left. She was clearly a ball of nerves and wasn't bothering to hide it. She was continually rearranging her mic, adjusting her fluffy coat, and shuffling in her high heeled leather boots. She had a beautiful athletic figure, and her outfit was far more playful than the warthog proceeding her. She had black leggings that hugged her legs and a light brown tutu that floated around her waist. She wore a white turtleneck topped with a short faux fur jacket that matched the various browns of the boots, tutu, and the enormous fur squirrel tail that reached up to her neck. Tasteful gold accents and jewelry tied the costume together into a cute but flirty ensemble, obviously directed more towards the teenagers in the audience. Her mask was a dull bronze and looked much simpler and lighter than the warthogs and his but concealed her identity nonetheless. "She looks younger than the warthog, perhaps a social media influencer?" Hades considered. He didn't follow anyone other than family and his favorite humane societies on Fatesbook, but Hebe had often mentioned the many celebrities who had gained their fame through the platform. Catching him looking her way, she gave him a small wave before resuming with her anxious fretting. 

A flurry of feathers caught Hades’ eye, and he looked over to find a competitor running in from the costume room a little late and clearly out of breath. Immediately, Hades's eye was drawn to the yellow mohawk of feathers adorn his head and the curved black beak of the mask. It was far more realistic than the others he had seen so far and actually looked similar to the birds head. He only came up to around Hades shoulder and he seemed to be portly with an obnoxious hawaiian shirt and colorful leas covering his feathered costume. “I can't tell if he’s a washed up celebrity clinging onto fame or a comedian who's just here to mess with the judges,” Hades laughed to himself as the cockatoo caught his breath and gave him a cheeky wave.

Hades mentally shrugged and continued examining the rest of the room. The other two competitors were both women and seemed older than the squirrel. One of them moved around the room with a grace that perfectly befitted the animal they were dressed as. Her movements were fluid, suiting her flowing dress. He smirked as he recognized the familiar flapper girl dress that she wore and wondered if he was the only one who was old enough to live through that era himself. He laughed to himself, Zeus had loved the flapper girls normalization of casual sex, but he had hated their sass. Personally, Hades had thoroughly enjoyed watching Zeus finally being put in his place by the woman he tried to "seduce" and had been all for the freedoms they were taking advantage of. The puma had a classic example of a flapper slip dress on, draped black silk and glittering gold beads and sequence that reflected the stage light drawing all eyes to her. The intricate patterns glinted, and the fringe swayed as she moved and were complemented by strings of pearls and a feather boa draped around her neck. In her long white gloves, she clutched a massive feather fan, an iconic accessory of the period. Her mask was both gold and black, matching her slip dress. It was sleek, polished, and slightly more abstract than the others he'd seen but equally beautiful. It was topped with a classic flapper headband, a black band decorated with pearls and black feathers. Personally, he thought that they had done a fantastic job of capturing the era, and he couldn't wait to see her perform. Everything about her and her body language screamed movie star or dancer, so they were clearly going to get quite the performance. 

His eyes finally settled on the last performer in the room. Her posture was immaculate, and she was obviously a veteran to the scrutiny of the public eye. Everything about her regal appearance screamed maturity and experience. Hades wouldn't have been surprised if she was around his age. She looked as if she had a will of iron and determination to match; the kind of person nothing could shake, but she also seemed to lack the usual boldness of a performer. He raised an eyebrow; she also didn't seem the type to make drunk bets, so he was left wondering what a woman like her was doing here. As if she could read his mind, she looked over at him and looked him up and down with a cool and calculating gaze. He did his best not to fidget under her scrutinizing stare, but he felt goosebumps race up and down his arms despite the heat. He gave her a nod, acknowledging her, and, after a moment, she returned it and turned away. He shuddered, what the hell was that all about.  
Though she was no longer focused on him, he continued to study her outfit. She was dressed in an elaborate ballroom gown of silver silk, intricate white lace designs, and brilliant gemstones. It was elegant and honestly awe-inspiring. She was adorned in jewelry matching the countless gems on the dress. The lace crept up the sides of the dress, almost like vines, to form a waisted covered in jeweled flowers and bodice of what almost looked like diamonds. Whoever was under the silver and ruby owl mask had resources, and, by the looks of it, old money. He wouldn't be surprised if she was a god as well. Usually, it was nymphs, minor gods, and demigods who participated, but every once and a while, an outlier like himself would pop in, and the ratings would soar. 

At that very moment, he heard a final person exit the changing room and looked over to see this year's host finally emerge. Thaleia, one of the nine goddesses of music, song, and dance, came out with a dazzling smile, and the crew finished attaching the mic. Personally, she was the muse of comedy, which made her perfect for the role, but Hades was surprised they had gotten someone so famous to host. This show must be a bigger deal than he first assumed (but I mean who wouldn't want to watch celebrities make asses of themselves on TV). He had talked to her at a couple of Zeus' parties and indulged in her comedy specials on numerous occasions. She never failed to make him laugh with witty, sarcastic humor and talent; however, she definitely didn't recognize him behind his mask (especially in his leather get-up)- not even the host was allowed to know their identity before they were revealed. Nevertheless, he returned her grin, forgetting she couldn't even see it and nodded at her as she passed. She glanced at him and looked him up and down with a smirk, finally giving him an exaggerated wink that left him practically navy before looking away and sauntering onto the stage to the thunderous applause of the crowd.

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously I don't own Lore Olympus and all the characters are created by Rachel Smythe. I also don't owned the The Masked Singer


End file.
